Recreational compasses are generally designed and intended to withstand more than the normal abuse and shock while being relatively lightweight in construction so that they can be easily carried or stored. It is especially important to construct and mount an azimuth ring and needle assembly so as to be selectively rotatable together or individually. Further, it is highly desirable to at least partially enclose the casing for the needle on a base plate or other base member in such a way as to avoid the use of positive fasteners while permitting rapid assembly of the needle so as to be resiliently suspended within the housing.
In the past, various approaches have been taken to compass mounting devices and especially those of the type commonly referred to as recreational compasses. For instance, U.S. Letters Patent to Ekeberg U.S. Pat. No. 2,136,970 discloses the resilient mounting of a pin support for a compass needle. U.S. Letters Patent No. to Tillander U.S. Pat. No. 331,747 is directed more to permanent fastening of a liquid filled compass on a base member but is not concerned with resilient mounting. Moreover, U.S. Letters Patent No. to Hassel U.S. Pat. No. 2,019,411 discloses and is representative of more conventional approaches taken to mounting of a needle on a base plate but employs positive fasteners or screws in attaching the casing or housing for the needle to the base member.
Other patents of interest are U.S. Letters Patent No. to Anderson U.S. Pat. No. 3,248,793, Benger et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,260, Suzuki U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,316 and Piffath U.S. Pat. No. 2,358,589.